Earthquake Rattles Southwest Virginia

Comment: Again, a series of small earthquakes has hit Virginia in the last six months! Remember, Coles Hill, where the proposed uranium mining and milling may take place sets on a fault line!

By Jim Bailey
Anchor / Managing Editor / WJHL
Published: August 14, 2009

The earth moved in Southwest Virginia on Friday morning, but experts with the East Tennessee State University GeoSciences Department say it’s nothing be shaken up about.
“We don’t get large ones,” explained Dr. Mick Whitelaw, “but we get lots of little ones that most people don’t even know are occurring.”

Small quakes, registering between 1.0 and 3.0 on the Richter Magnitude Scale are so prevalent in this area it has been designated as The East Tennessee Seismic Zone by the U.S. Geological Survey.

But people from the epicenter about four miles from Nickelsville, Virginia all the way to Blountville, Tennessee knew this quake occurred.

Westley Ketron felt the 2.9 magnitude temblor rattle through his Blountsville home. “There was moderate shaking of the walls and objects in the house,” said Ketron.
People in Nickelsville reported hearing the quake rather than feeling it. Darrel Brit described hearing a tremendous boom at the time the U.S.G.S. recorded the tremor at 9:48 am. “Felt like a bomb went off! I ran out on the porch to see if there was a mushroom cloud.“
No cloud, and no damage either. That boom was unusual for a quake so small in magnitude according to Whitelaw, but the movement of the earth will produce what amounts to a sonic boom, similar to the passing of a jet airplane.
“When you have a lot of fault plane move at one time, and move at seismic speed, close enough to the speed of sound it can generate a boom,” said Whitelaw.

Tennessee is due for a major earthquake at some point, but that will come along the New Madrid fault that runs through Memphis. Whitelaw says we’ll feel that when it happens, but the solid rocky ground beneath Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee, coupled with the age of the mountains along the eastern half of the United States means we are not subject to a quake that would produce major damage here.
Explains Whitelaw, “We have lot’s of little faults and every once in a while they’ll activate and wiggle a little and we’ll feel it like we did today.”

It’s just an occasional reminder of the power of the constantly moving earth beneath our feet.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/earthquake_rattles_southwest_virginia/30606/

Chubu Finds More Damage at Nuclear Plant After Quake/Chubu Estimates Nuclear-Plant Shutdown Costs $4.2 Million a Day

Comment: So Nuke power is safe and cheap according to the nuke bunch....don't think so, talking about earthquakes, Virginia has been having a series of small earthquakes for the last six months.......pretty near VA nuke plants plus Coles Hill, proposed uranium mining and milling sits on an fault!!

By Megumi Yamanaka

Aug. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Chubu Electric Power Co. may burn more fossil fuels to keep lights on and machinery running in Nagoya, Japan’s third-largest metropolitan area, as the utility finds more earthquake damage to its Hamaoka nuclear plant.

Both functioning reactors at Hamaoka shut down after a 6.5- magnitude quake on Aug. 11 and as of today Chubu found 39 problems, including neutron monitor and auxiliary transformer malfunctions. There’s no estimate when the reactors will resume operation, spokesman Toshimitsu Shibata said by phone.

A monthlong closure at Hamaoka, which generated 16 percent of the Nagoya-based utility’s electric power last year, would increase costs by about 10 billion yen ($105 million), according Reiji Ogino, an analyst at Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co. For a company with annual sales of more than 2 trillion yen, there wouldn’t be any serious affect on Chubu’s share price, he said.

“I’d be concerned if the plant was shut down for several months,” Ogino said by phone today. “The impact will be limited if they get Hamaoka running again within a month.”

Chubu Electric shares declined for a fifth consecutive day today, falling 0.2 percent to 2,200 yen at the close of Tokyo trading. The stock has declined 20 percent this year.

Hamaoka’s two working reactors shut down automatically when the quake struck. The 3,504-megawatt plant’s third reactor was already down for scheduled maintenance inspection. The utility may have to increase power generation from oil and gas-fired plants and buy electricity from rival producers to maintain supplies to homes and factories in central Japan.

Kashiwazaki Kariwa

Analysts say Hamaoka won’t be closed as long Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility, the world’s biggest nuclear power plant, which restarted one reactor in May, almost two years after being closed from quake damage in July 2007.

This week’s temblor hit the Hamaoka plant with less force than the maximum it’s designed to withstand, according to both Chubu Electric and Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency. Tokyo Electric’s plant was shaken beyond its design parameters.

“Chubu Electric’s case is different from Kashiwazaki Kariwa case,” Tatsuya Tsunoda, a senior analyst at Mizuho Securities Co., said by phone today. He estimates Chubu will lose about 500 million yen per day while all three Hamaoka reactors are down.

Chubu Electric in July left unchanged its April forecast of 10.5 billion yen full-year profit, reversing the 19 billion yen loss a year ago when the utility took a charge for scrapping two aging reactors at the Hamaoka plant.

To contact the reporter on this story: Megumi Yamanaka in Tokyo at myamanaka@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 14, 2009 04:07 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=ac.aWFYocwPk

Chubu Estimates Nuclear-Plant Shutdown Costs $4.2 Million a Day

By Michio Nakayama

Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Chubu Electric Power Co., which halted its two functioning nuclear reactors after an earthquake shook Japan last week, said the closure is costing the company 400 million yen ($4.2 million) a day.

Chubu said yesterday the Hamaoka plant, which powers Nagoya, Japan’s third-biggest metropolitan area, will take at least three to four weeks to restart. The company will incur additional costs as it increases oil- and gas-fired generation to make up for lost output, Emi Kawashita, a spokeswoman, said by phone from Nagoya today.

The 1,137-megawatt No. 4 reactor and the 1,267-megawatt No. 5 unit shut automatically after a 6.5-magnitude temblor struck central Japan Aug. 11. A third reactor, the 1,100-megawatt No. 3, was shut at the time for regular maintenance.

Chubu has revived two mothballed generators, the Taketoyo No. 2 fuel-oil-fired plant and the Chita No. 2 gas-fired unit, to make up for the lost nuclear output. It may also buy power from other utilities to meet peak summer demand, the company said last week.

Chubu shares rose 0.7 percent to 2,180 yen in Tokyo trading today, beating the 0.3 percent gain in the 17-member Topix Power & Gas Index.

To contact the reporter on this story: Michio Nakayama in Tokyo at mnakayama4@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 18, 2009 02:33 EDT


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601072&sid=aj3cPa9Mps0Y

Minor earthquake reported in Ashland area, VA

Comment: Earthquake today in same area, 3 earthquakes in the last seven days and they may mine uranium in Virginia! Crazy!

By Staff Reports
Published: August 1, 2009

A minor earthquake rumbled in the Ashland area early yesterday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service.

The quake occurred at 6:14 a.m. about 4 miles northwest of Ashland and registered 2.1 on the Richter scale, the USGS said.

Jeff Lewitsky, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said his organization had received no reports of damage.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US10/32.42.-80.-70.php
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/QUAK01_20090731-231601/283477/
Virginia Seismic Zone

List of Earthquakes

1774-02-21. Near Petersburg, Prince George County. A sharp earthquake that was felt over much of Virginia displaced houses "considerably off their foundations" at Blandford and Petersburg. Although the shock was severe at Richmond and terrified residents about 80 km north of Richmond at Fredericksburg, it caused no damage at those towns. Several "smart shocks" were reported in parts of Virginia from Feb. 20th to the 22nd. The main tremor rang bells at Salem (now Winston-Salem), North Carolina. Magnitude 4.5

1833-08-27. Central Virginia. A rather strong shock agitated walls of buildings at Lynchburg (west of Richmond, in southern Amherst County) and rattled windows violently. Fences along the road were shaken near the Louisa County Courthouse, northwest of Richmond. It was described as "severe" at Charlottesville, about 85 km northeast of Lynchburg. Two miners were killed in a panic caused by the tremor at a mine near Richmond. Ref. 179 suggests a MM intensity VI at the epicenter, although no damage was documented. Also felt in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Magnitude 4.5

1852-04-29. Near Wytheville, Wythe County. A severe earthquake that was observed over a large area threw down a chimney near Wytheville, in southwest Virginia, and shook down tops of chimneys at Buckingham Courthouse, about 55 km south of Charlottesville. Houses were shaken violently at Staunton, about 65 km west of Charlottesville. A brick was shaken from a chimney as far south as Davie County, North Carolina. Also felt in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Magnitude 4.9

1852-04-02. Central Virginia. Chimney damage occurred at Buckingham, about 55 km south of Charlottesville. This earthquake was reported to be "quite strong" at Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Scottsville. At Scottsville, where every house in the village was shaken, water in the canal was "troubled," and boats were tossed to and fro. Magnitude 4.3

1875-12-23 (Dec. 22). Central Virginia. The highest intensities from this earthquake occurred mainly at towns near the James River waterfront in Goochland and Powhatan Counties, and in Louisa County. In Richmond (Henrico County), the most severe damage was sustained in the downtown business and residential areas adjacent to the James River or on islands in the river. Damage included bricks knocked from chimneys, fallen plaster, an overturned stove, and several broken windows. Waves "suddenly rose several feet" at the James River dock at Richmond, causing boats to "part their cables" and drift below the wharf. At Manakin, about 20 km west of Richmond, shingles were shaken from a roof and many lamps and chimneys were broken. Several small aftershocks were reported through 1876-01-02. Felt from Baltimore, Maryland, to Greensboro, North Carolina, and from the Atlantic Coast westward to Greenbrier County and White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Magnitude 4.5

1897-05-03. Southwest Virginia. This earthquake was most severe at Radford (about 65 km west of Roanoke), where a few chimneys were wrecked and plaster fell from walls. Chimneys were damaged at nearby Pulaski and at Roanoke. Felt in most of southwest Virginia and as far south as Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Magnitude 4.3.)

1897-05-31. Giles County. This earthquake was the largest in intensity and areal extent in Virginia in historical times. The earthquake had a maximum Modified Mercalli Intensity of VIII, and the area of maximum ground motion extended over an elliptical area-from near Lynchburg, Virginia, west to Bluefield, West Virginia, and from Giles County south to Bristol, Tennessee. The MM intensity VIII assigned to this earthquake is based on "many downed chimneys" and "changes in the flow of springs." The shock was felt severely at Narrows, about 3 km west of Pearisburg. Here, the surface rolled in an undulating motion, water in springs became muddy, and water in some springs ceased to flow. The flow of water in springs also was disturbed in the area of Pearisburg, about 70 km west of Roanoke, and Sugar Run. The shock was strong at Pearisburg, where walls of old brick houses were cracked and many chimneys were thrown down or badly damaged. Many chimneys also were shaken down at Bedford, Pulaski, Radford, and Roanoke, Va., and Bristol, Tenn.; many chimneys were damaged at Christiansburg, Dublin, Floyd, Houston, Lexington, Lynchburg, Rocky Mount, Salem, Tazewell, and Wytheville, Va.; Charlotte, Oxford, Raleigh, and Winston, N.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Bluefield, W.Va. Felt from Georgia to Pennsylvania and from the Atlantic Coast westward to Indiana and Kentucky. Aftershocks continued through June 6, 1897. Magnitude 5.8 Mfa NUT.

1898-02-05. Pulaski, Virginia. Bricks were thrown from chimneys, furniture was shifted in a few houses, and residents rushed into the streets at Pulaski, about 70 km southwest of Roanoke. Felt throughout southwest Virginia and south to Raleigh, N.C.

1907-02-11. Near Arvonia, Buckingham County. Chimneys were cracked at Ashby, about 20 km southeast of Arvonia, and a window was broken at a store at Buckingham, 25 km southwest of Arvonia. A "terrific" shock sent people rushing outdoors at Arvonia and displaced furniture. Felt strongly from Powhatan to Albemarle County.

1918-04-10 (Apr. 9). Luray, Page County. In the Shenandoah Valley, at Luray, windows were broken and plaster was cracked severely. Ceilings of houses were cracked badly a few kilometers north of Luray, at Edinburg; windows were broken at Harrisonburg and Staunton, Va., and Washington, D.C. (at Georgetown University). In addition, a new spring formed in Page County, near Hamburg, almost in the middle of a road. A minor aftershock was reported in the area about 5 hours later. Also felt in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

1919-09-06 (Sept. 5). Near Front Royal, Warren County. This earthquake affected towns mainly in Warren and Rappahannock Counties. At Arco, in the Blue Ridge Mountains south of Front Royal, chimneys were damaged, plaster fell from walls, and springs and streams were muddied. Reports from the adjacent northern part of Rappahannock County state that similar shocks were felt and that streams were "rendered turbid." Also felt in parts of Maryland and West Virginia. Several aftershocks occurred.

1929-12-26 (Dec. 25). Charlottesville, Albemarle County. A moderate tremor at Charlottesville shook bricks from chimneys in some places. Also felt in other parts of Albemarle County.

1959-04-23. Giles County. The earthquake was strongest in Giles County, at Eggleston and Pembroke. Residents there reported several damaged chimneys and articles shaken from shelves and walls. One chimney toppled at the Norfolk and Western Railway station in Eggleston. Also felt in West Virginia. Magnitude 3.8

1975-04-11. Southwest Virginia. Windows were broken in the Blacksburg area of Montgomery County, and plaster was cracked at Poplar Hill (south of Pearisburg, in Giles County). Also felt in Pulaski County.

1976-09-13. Southwest Virginia. Bricks fell from chimneys and pictures fell from walls in Surry County at Mount Airy, North Carolina. At the nearby town of Toast, North Carolina, cracks formed in masonry and plaster. The earthquake was observed in many towns in North Carolina and Virginia and in a few towns in South Carolina and West Virginia.

2003-12-09, The 2003 Virginia Earthquake was a magnitude 4.5 earthquake. It occurred on December 9 at 3:59 p.m. EST (20:59 UTC) in the foothills about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Richmond and was felt as far away as Norfolk.

2009-05-16. Roanoke Valley. A magnitude 3.0 earthquake occurred at 4:08 a.m. EST (04:08 UTC), with its epicenter located in Roanoke County, just outside the City of Roanoke.[1]
2009-07-06 On Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 11:59:52 PM EDT, a minor earthquake with a magnitude of mblg=2.3 occurred about 1 km SW of Short Pump, Virginia.

[edit] 2003 earthquake
On December 9, 2003 at 3:59 p.m. EST (20:59 UTC) in the foothills about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Richmond, Virginia there was a 4.5 magnitude earthquake.

The earthquake felt strongly over almost all of Virginia, from Lynchburg to Hampton Roads. There was shaking reported in much of North Carolina, the District of Columbia, and suburban Maryland. Shaking was also reported in eastern West Virginia, southern Pennsylvania, and portions of the Delmarva Peninsula. This event was located at 37.728° N, 78.087° W, at a depth of less than 5 km (3 miles) and may have occurred due to rupture along the Lakeside fault. It was preceded by a magnitude 3.8 event on May 5th, 2003 whose epicenter was located only a few kilometers away. This event was a significant earthquake, the largest recorded in Virginia since the widespread use of modern seismic monitoring equipment in the early 1970's. The largest Virginia earthquake in recorded history occurred on May 31st, 1897 in Giles County and is estimated to have had a magnitude of 5.8. The earthquake caused little to no structural damage, but as a precaution, government buildings in Richmond were evacuated and inspected for damage.

The central Virginia Seismic Zone is a region of persistent seismic activity in the Piedmont province covering approximately 8,000 km2 (~3,000 mi2).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Seismic_Zone

Minor earthquake, 3.2, rattles mountainous area in parts of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia

August 1st, 2009Minor earthquake rattles southeastern Tenn., NC

DUCKTOWN, Tenn. — A minor earthquake rattled the mountainous area of southeastern Tennessee, western North Carolina and northern Georgia on Saturday morning. No damage or injuries were immediately reported.


The U.S. Geological Survey said the 3.2-magnitude temblor happened about 11 a.m. Saturday. Its epicenter was located about 55 miles east of Chattanooga, near the town of Ducktown.

Local authorities said they received several calls about the shaking, but they had not received any reports of damage of injuries.

Becky Cearley, a dispatcher with the Polk County Sheriff’s Department, described the incident as “pretty intense.”

“It shook the whole entire building for what seemed like forever, but it was just a matter of seconds,” she said.

A dispatcher with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina, just east of the epicenter, said the office received a few calls from people wondering what had happened.

“One guy, he said it was so bad it shook his cell phone off the dresser,” said Sgt. Michael Roper of the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office in northern Georgia.

http://blog.taragana.com/n/minor-earthquake-32-rattles-mountainous-area-in-parts-of-tennessee-north-carolina-georgia-127758/